All I know about Gary Carter are the stories that I’ve read or that others have told me, plus what I’ve learned from watching various films, interviews and documentaries. From what I have always heard and read about Doc, Straw, Keith and many of others on that 1986 team, they were heavy duty partiers and what not. But you never heard that about Carter.
He was simply that classic all-American player that any child with a dream of playing baseball would idolize. One that never forgot how lucky he was to put on a uniform everyday. One that wore that uniform with pride and carried that onto the field every single game. You just don’t see that anymore.
Two years ago, my aunts and uncles all gave me Amazon gift cards for Christmas, and without hesitation I bought a Gary Carter signed ball that very Christmas morning. Even though I never saw him play, the kind of heart and passion Gary Carter had for the game, resonated with me. Those types of scrappy players are few and far between nowadays, and I see Carter as the benchmark of how to play the game and live your life the right way.
There will never be another like Kid. He didn’t showboat, he never slowed down. He was beloved wherever he played because of his natural child-like exuberance and his pure joy to have the opportunity to play the game of baseball. And that cheerful vibrato was well-received by every single person he came into contact with throughout his entire adult life here on earth.
Here’s to you Kid, Rest In Peace.
